I rarely go to my gym. I pay the membership, because it features 2 dance studios and a minor kettlebell collection. And a steam room.
But my gym gives awful advice.
On Facebook, my gym posted a status that read like this:
“Exercise is telling your body, ‘You’ll hate me for this now, but you’ll thank me later.'”
I saw about 10 “likes,” and I got pretty irritated out of the gate. I commented, “No, actually. That’s how people get broken.”
I used to think that the more sweat I left on the floor, the better my workout. Then, I’d spend 2 days attempting to recover or work through that soreness.
Then, I got hurt. It took getting hurt to get smart.
I turned working out into skills training. If my workout didn’t make me more efficient at my life, then it served limited purpose. Muscles are great. Sweating feels great. But if I’m doing more harm than good, then it doesn’t make good sense to do it.
So, next time you arrive for your workout/skills training, ask yourself what purpose that effort serves.
Are you dipping into your internal pharmacy to handle stress?
Are you leaving a puddle on the floor because it gives you a feeling of productivity? Or can this workout be more productive?
Can you even get up and down from the floor, not using your hands and knees? Can you move your own body before you load up with weight?
Are you working towards being mobile, stable, and strong for life – or to look hot in the moment with no consideration of the consequences?
You can look good, feel good, and be functional. Or, you can let your workouts bend you until you break.
It’s your call.
I hope you choose the former. Get assessed. Get corrected. Being active for the long haul demands it.
– Dr. Kathy Dooley